


The Fairest and the Most Full of Promise

by thegirlwiththemouseyhair



Category: The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Yuletide Treat
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2018-12-16
Packaged: 2019-09-15 17:57:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16937988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegirlwiththemouseyhair/pseuds/thegirlwiththemouseyhair
Summary: I'm so glad some of your prompts focused on Sibyl. I've wanted to explore her character more for ages, and see her given her due and a life of her own. I also wanted to combine that with a modern AU idea I've had for some time (which works well with evil Instagram influencer Dorian), but I only had time for a very short, unpolished treat. Hope you enjoy anyway; happy Yuletide.





	The Fairest and the Most Full of Promise

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lurknomoar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lurknomoar/gifts).



Shakespeare in the Park was her bread and butter, but she was making a name for herself beyond that. Really, she was better off than many of her friends from school. Her next challenge would be to break out of the ingenue roles. Her resume could use more modern anti-heroines with sharp edges and contemporary stories, and fewer turns as Juliet or Desdemona. So far, though, the change was proving elusive. It was her voice that limited her: too pure. She rarely drank and had never smoked or done drugs; they made her uncomfortable. Try as she might, there were some characters she could not yet inhabit believably. At least, that was what the casting directors told her.

Still, she had regular work between acting, modeling, and waitressing. She might be one of those rare successes who could earn a living from her art, and at a young age, too. Recently, a photoshoot she modeled for had gone viral. Sarah had been astounded at the series’ online success. She had done more than model in it, which was why it made her so proud. She’d conceived of the idea, along with a photographer friend of hers. Her roommate Jenny (who was a bit clueless about theatre and literature) had referred to the photos as fairy tales for the Instagram age. They weren’t quite fairy tales, but the byline had potential. Sarah liked the idea of bringing literary and mythic heroines to life for the age of social media.

She looked forward to continuing the series when Alex, the photographer, returned from New York. They had eased into it, beginning with Sarah’s standard ingenues. She was Juliet, of course (Alex couldn’t resist). She was also Atalanta from Greek mythology, holding one of Aphrodite's golden apples; and Faust's Gretchen with a box of jewels - all borrowed from the props department at her alma mater. She was the Lady of Shalott, too, in the white thrift store dress which she later wrecked as Ophelia. That was a wrench. She’d worked so hard to find that dress, and get it home on the subway while keeping it pristine. Still, you had to make some sacrifices for art. The reception of the photo series was more than worth it. If they did more pictures, she wanted to play some tougher characters. No one could say she  _sounded_ too sweet in a visual medium.  

Perhaps best of all, she had met Dorian through her modeling work. He'd reached out to her online. He was something of an influencer himself (whatever that meant), and she’d been flattered to see him promoting her. They began dating soon after. He said it was her pictures that attracted him to her - that, and the way she could portray all these iconic characters with just a look or a pose. He got most of the references, too, having drifted from major to major at university. For the first time in ages, her life was genuinely going well. Dorian supported her and distracted her from missing her brother and from her parents’ general unpleasantness. The less said about either of them, the better. Her mom was awful when she learned about Dorian, all _Where does he live?_ and _What sort of car does he drive?_ It was worse than her pointed, nosy comments about Sarah's career, or her acting tips, which were all at least thirty years out of date.

Then again, her mother might have a tiny bit of a point, for once. With Dorian, Sarah might not have to earn a living all on her own just yet. Dorian had inherited money from a rich grandfather, and wanted to be a patron of the arts. He could be her patron, her safety net. Most of the artists Sarah knew were either struggling, or had a net (a partner or a day job) to fall back on. She could do so much more if she had that kind of security without the restaurant job. To think that it might be around the corner, for her… He’d even mentioned getting married. They were too young, of course, but Dorian was impulsive like that. The thought made Sarah giddy. Maybe it wasn’t just impulsiveness, either: her friend Jenny was engaged, after all. Some people married young. Sometimes, you just _knew_ you could trust someone - knew they were right for you.

She imagined the name in programs and maybe even TV credits: Sarah Elizabeth Gray, instead of Sarah Elizabeth Vane. It had a much better ring to it.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so glad some of your prompts focused on Sibyl. I've wanted to explore her character more for ages, and see her given her due and a life of her own. I also wanted to combine that with a modern AU idea I've had for some time (which works well with evil Instagram influencer Dorian), but I only had time for a very short, unpolished treat. Hope you enjoy anyway; happy Yuletide.


End file.
